TATTERSALLS has dubbed the December Mare Sale as ‘the sale that shapes the thoroughbred’ and, while that may be difficult to prove or refute, you need only look back to Champions Stakes Day at Flemington earlier this month for the latest evidence.

The winners of all five group races on the day, including three Group 1s, were either themselves bought at the sale, or bred out of mares that were. Via Sistina notched her 12th top-flight success in the feature race, bringing her earnings past $17 million. Not many horses can repay an outlay of 2,700,000gns on the racetrack, or even later at stud, but Via Sistina is no ordinary horse.